Fishing Column - Conn Post 5/23/09

Fishing column by Charles Walsh

The air temperature was running high, but the TMA area of the Housatonic River above the covered bridge in Cornwall was running low. It felt like a day better suited for sipping beer than for casting for smallmouth bass in a river that was no deeper than two feet in any given spot.

I reared back with my ultra-light spinning rod and chucked a small, yellow Rapala toward what looked like a deeper hole three-quarters of the way across the river. The lure landed far from its target but with one turn of the reel handle the water exploded like the lure had hit a submerged mine. Out of the spray shot a foot-long silver fish that, even from so far away, looked to be more angry than scared.

Smallmouth on! For the next two hours I forgot about the oppressive heat as smallie after smallie blasted my lures.

Hard to believe that it's been almost a month and a half since Opening Day of trout season in Connecticut. Hooking a nice fat brown or rainbow never gets really old, but by now many freshwater anglers are ready for a change of pace.

Our suggestion is to grab that ultra-light spinning outfit or fly rod and try for some of the aforementioned smallmouth or largemouth bass.

In streams and rivers largemouth bass tend to lie up on shallow rocks or just inside the weed lines. More often than not the fish are found in less than five feet of water. Smallmouth, on the other hand, can often be found hanging out above deeper weed edges.

Dropshotting is a particularly effective system for catching both largemouth and smallmouth in Connecticut's weedy lakes.

The dropshot rig uses a tear-shaped sinker suspended 12 to 18 inches below a hook that has been attached to the line using a Palomar knot that keeps it at a 90-degree angle to the main line, its point facing up. A three-inch soft plastic lure like a Bass Assassin shad is threaded on the hook through the nose so that it also hangs at a 90 degree angle to the line.

Stick baits also work well, while Texas-rigged soft plastic lures will do the job, too.

Spinner baits and crank baits are effective on both species. Lately, hooks tipped with three-inch Gulp minnows or grubs in black or natural colors have been doing well.

Male largemouths are stay-at-home dads building their nests at this time of year while the ladies cool their fins. Bass spawn when the water temperature is between 62 to 68 degrees, When the water temperature reaches 65 degrees the bass' metabolism speeds up as does their feeding pace. But bass don't spawn at the same time. The fish at the southern end of a lake or pond usually bed and spawn first.

Unlike trout, there is no need for state-run hatcheries and stocking programs - these fish maintain their own hatchery system.

In Connecticut the season for largemouth and smallmouth bass is open year round with a six-fish limit for both species. (Be a sport, return all fish to the water.) Bass caught in lakes and ponds or in the Connecticut River must be 12 inches long to be kept. Fish taken in rivers and streams can be any length.

Match the lure to the bait that is around. Jerk baits, white spinner baits with chartreuse blades, small, shallow diving crank baits, and spider jigs are killers now.

If you just can't get off the trout bandwagon the DEP says spoons, either Mooselooks in silver or a 4-inch flutter spoon in silver,, have worked well.

When fishing a Flutter spoon make a long cast and let the spoon fall on slack line. Slack line gives the bait its distinctive dying shad fluttering action. Once the bait hits bottom reel up your slack, holding your rod at the 9 o'clock position. Raise your rod to the 12 o'clock or even 1 o'clock position, pulling the spoon well up off the bottom. Some days the fish will hit the spoon when it is raised briskly. Other days a slow steady lift works better. [Charles Walsh, Connecticut Post]

Porgy (Scup) Facts

Scup and black sea bass hovering around a reef ledge.

• Scup undertake extensive migrations between coastal waters in summer and offshore waters in winter.
  
• Scup migrate north and inshore to spawn in spring, with larger scup (age 2 and older) tending to arrive in spring first, followed by smaller scup.
• Larger scup are found during the summer near the mouth of larger bays and in the ocean within 20-fathoms, and often inhabit rough bottom areas.
• Smaller scup are more likely to be found in shallow, smooth bottom areas of bays during summer.
• Scup migrate south and offshore in autumn as the water temperature decreases, arriving in offshore wintering areas by December.
• Spawning occurs from May through August and peaks in June.
• About 50% of age-2 scup are sexually mature (about 17 cm total length), while nearly all scup of age 3 and older are mature.
• Scup reach a maximum fork length of at least 41 cm and a maximum age of at least 14 years, with a likely maximum of 20 years.

Greenwich weighs sale Steambot Rd Pier & Lot

A popular fishing spot located at the end of Steamboat Road in Greenwich CT is at danger of becoming private. A pair of suitors have expressed interest in buying the small lot and pier from Greenwich. First Selectman Peter Tesei said selling the property could reduce public access to the waterfront in Greenwich, where most of the shoreline is dominated by multimillion-dollar mansions or town parks that charge admission. "We may not want to sell it," Tesei said. "I think that's a public policy issue that needs to be considered. Waterfront access is certainly important."

Native Plants return in Stamford's Mill River Restoration

If a river herring had tried to swim up Mill River to spawn last spring, it likely would have been thwarted by a hulking concrete block beneath the Pulaski Street bridge -- a remnant of a dam dating to the 1800s. Today, the herring instead would encounter a riverbed engineered to encourage its life cycle. Part of the ongoing $7.9 million Mill River restoration project creating a 26 acre park & 3 mile greenway stretching from Scalzi Park to Long Island Soound.

Menhaden more critical than people think

Bob Sampson in the Norwich Bulletin writes about the growing imbalance between predator & prey in our coastal ecosystems.

Because menhaden were not there in sufficient numbers to support the huge population of striped bass that was created back in the 1980s, every other possible source of prey has been devoured by this aggressive, omnivorous predator. The result is an imbalance balance between predator and prey in our coastal ecosystems.... While menhaden were functionally missing from the food chain, striped bass (along with bluefish and other predatory species) may have literally eaten once-large populations of river herring, American shad and contributed to the demise of winter flounder, fluke and other species through predation around the edges.

After 10 years, Oyster-ing returns to Greenwich

From March 1, 2009 until the seasonal closing of the recreational Shellfish Beds at Greenwich Point, in early May 2009 (or as posted), the ban on taking oysters has been lifted and the taking of oysters is permitted.

Experience the Sound

The Greenwich Shellfish Commission welcomes you with friends and family to "Experience the Sound" from 1:00pm - 4:00pm. Tour the Sound Waters Schooner and learn about its educational voyages in local waters. Visit the Atlantic Clam Farms Shellfish boat and discover how it collects clams from Long Island waters. Learn about scuba diving opportunities and talk with fishing experts from Sportsman's Den.

Herring Run in Weymouth

Every year between April and June about 250,000 herring pass through Weymouth. The fish travel from the Atlantic Ocean and make their way to ponds via various streams including: Weymouth, Pembroke, Braintree and Plymouth.

The herring “run” through the start of June in several local places, including Thomas Reading Memorial Herring Run Park on Route 14 in Pembroke, Town Brook behind the Jenney Grist Mill on Spring Lane in Plymouth, and at the intersection of Water and Commercial streets in East Weymouth. The fish typically are most active – and most likely to jump – between 11 a.m. and noon.

The Calamari Causeway - Fishing for Squid

Squid fishing on the causeway to Goat Island:

Stop the increase of ethanol to 15%

Boaters Need To Comment Before May 21st: Strong pro-ethanol advocates are pushing the Obama Administration and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to increase ethanol levels in gasoline to 15% (E15). As you may have read in BoatUS Magazine, ethanol at the currently allowed 10% (E10) level has been shown to cause significant problems for some marine engines and boat fuel systems.

Click Here To read the BoatUS Article - A Serious Problem, A Corny Solution

Click Here To send comments (due before May 21) directly to EPA!

Free KFC Meal -download coupon today!

Update: Promotion is over. I hope y'all had better luck printing it then I did.

Kentucky Fried Chicken is giving out coupons for a free Kentucky Grilled Chicken Meal (2 pieces, 2 sides & biscuit). You have to print it out today by 11pm. It's good until 5/19/09.

Stimulus Money Set for Long Beach West Cottages Demolition

Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro announced $909,000 for the Barrier Beach Restoration on Long Beach West through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (aka Stiumulus money). This funding will allow for the demolition and clean-up of the 41 abandoned cottages on Long Beach West.

According to the press release this project meets one of the criteria for stimulus money: it will generate the largest number of jobs in the shortest period of time.

How many new jobs will this create? When will these new jobs be created? A worthy project but will it help a high value employer like CIGNA rehire the 1000 employees who recently got laid off?

Rell Seeks $12.6 mil Stimuls for Coastal Restoration & Marine Improvements

$12.6 million dollars would be going to these four projects:

• Removal of the Springborn Dam on the Scantic River in Enfield
• Construction of a fish passage at the Tingue Dam on the Naugatuck River in Seymour
• Construction of a fish passage at the Rainbow Dam on the Farmington River in Windsor
• Restoration of tidal wetlands along the lower Connecticut River in the towns of Chester, East Haddam, Essex, Haddam, Lyme, Old Lyme and Old Saybrook

According to Rell these projects "will create jobs for engineers, construction workers and others".

While these projects may be worthy and needed is this really the best way to stimulate CT's economy? How many NEW jobs will be created? When will they be created? With more than 600,000 people losing their jobs every month is this the best way to spend our money? Will these projects hire the thousands of CT workers who have or will lose their jobs because of the cancellation of the F-22 & presidental helicopter programs? I doubt it.

Windsor & Holyoke Shad Derby's

Here's the dates for the regional shad derby's:
Fishing Tournament Windsor Rod & Gun Club: May 2-4th
Holyoke Gas & Electric Shad Derby: May 9/10 & 16/17

Stop the EPA Push for 15% Ethanol Fuel

Like many boaters in the Northeast I've suffered from ethanol fuel causing a couple of thousand dollars of outboard motor repair and a new custom fuel tank installed. That was only 10%, I can only imagine the headache and wallet-ache 15% will cause. Ethanol fuel is a bad solution to our energy problem. Ethanol diverts corn from food to fuel - raising the cost of food, causing food shortages, food riots and adds to world hunger. It also uses another precious resource water that we should not waste.

Today I received an email from Boaters World asking boaters to fight against the increase to 15% ethanol. Here's the link.

Quabbin Reservoir

Another place I always want to go, but never go is Quabbin Reservoir. In the Ghost proves good bait for opening spring fishing season trip to Quabbin Reservoir on MassLive.com Quabbin looks very tempting: We no sooner anchored in 100 feet of water and let out live shiners down, propelled by barrel sinkers that allowed the little fish to swim free....than [we] started landing and releasing large lake trout."

Fishing for Stripers in the Thames

Marc Folco writes a story about fishing for stripers on the Thames River in SouthCoastToday.com: Going fishing, Connecticut style

The Thames River is known for it's year-round stripers and I always plan on fishing there - one day - but after reading this article - that one day may be sooner rather than later. The fish can be found along the edges of the submerged rock walls found in the river downstream from Norwich Harbor toward the Mohegan Sun.

The water was 12 feet deep with four feet of fish stacked up over the bottom. But the water was still cool and the fish weren't turned on. After finding a shallow cove where the water was a few degrees warmer and the fish (schoolie stripers) were hitting with a vengeance.

A leadhead jig with a paddle-tailed shad body in the pearl color usually produces the most fish. The lure can be customized by cutting the head off the body so it fits flush against the jig head and then slicing the rounded belly off to make the lure thinner with a more streamlined appearance. This makes it look and feel more natural. Trolling small tube and worm rigs is also a deadly technique especially when trolled along the edges of the rock walls and through schools of suspended fish.

A change in weather from cold & winding to sunny & warm changed the fishing success. "It was sunny and warm in the lee of the cove, compared to the raw, biting wind that whipped down the open river. Because the water was warming up quickly in the cove, the fish were turning on and fighting over our lures on some casts.".

Fishing On The Farmington Hartford Courant

by Steve Grant from Fishing On The Farmington, The State's Premier Trout Stream writes about the Trout Management Area in Barkhamsted and New Hartford.

The Farmington River may start as a cool trout stream but when it reaches "Avon, Simsbury and Windsor" the Farmington River become a favorable habitat for bass and perch. Past the Rainbow Dam in Windsor fishng is more varied and possible catches include: "smallmouth bass, white perch, northern pike, even striped bass, a species that migrates between fresh and salt water.... May is the month to fish the mouth of the Farmington for American shad, migrating in from the sea to spawn."

A hot tip from the DEP that Grant shares: "anglers looking for early season trout action in the waters from Barkhamsted through Farmington concentrate on the pools near road access points. Crews use those places to unload hatchery fish, and, early in the season, the newly stocked trout likely have not yet scattered up and down the river".

Seymour fish bypass & the stimulus money

Connecticut is looking for $12.6 million dollars of stimulus money for various statewide marine projects including $3 million for a fish bypass in Seymour at the Tinque Dam. "Other projects the state wants to complete include restoration of tidal wetlands along the lower Connecticut River in Chester, East Haddam, Essex, Haddam, Lyme, Old Lyme and Old Saybrook; a similar fish passage at the Rainbow Dam on the Farmington River in Windsor and the removal of the Springborn Dam on the Scantic River in Enfield". The Seymour fish bypass will open up 26 miles of freshwater to fish such as salmon and shad.

Free Fishing Permits for Unemployed

Aquarion Water Company is issuing free season fishing permits to three area reservoirs for free fishing to people over age 18 who have lost their job. Free permits will be issued on Tuesday, April 21 and 28, between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. at the Aquarion Environmental Center, 714 Black Rock Road (Rt. 58), Easton.